Arts

Arts, Op-Eds, Opinion

Identity in the Undistinguished: Singapore Writers Festival 2025
Reading Time: 5 minutes

By Koh Shin Robbie (26A01A)

Identity is not a monolith. In our own self-identity lies many markers at play that, when met with the social conditions of today, create unique lived experiences for each of us. 

Whether we recognise it, these experiences are presented to us in all facets of our lives, across space and time—from the railways of Seoul to HDB void decks, even to the streets of 1960s Singapore. It is then often through such unseen little snippets of life that one’s expression of identity takes shape. Across the various panels in this year’s Singapore Writers Festival, this theme became apparent.

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Arts, CCA Events, Clubs, Commentary, Compilations, School Life, Special Editions

Meeting Up With the Merged CCAs (School Matters Special Edition 2025)
Reading Time: 10 minutes

By Betty Ding (25A01B) and Meryl Lim (25S05A)

In 2024, RI underwent a significant reshaping of its CCA landscape, with several CCAs merged and a few others discontinued. For the merged CCAs, you can say it was like a surprise arranged marriage of sorts—arranged, officiated, and enforced by the school with no clear path to a divorce or annulment. 

And like any couple, each pair of merged CCAs will have to find their own way to resolve their differences and get used to their new normal. We sat down with members from Chamber Ensemble, Raffles Image Art Collective (RIAC) and Raffles Crew to find out more about what this looks like, and the stories that unfolded behind the scenes.

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Arts, CCA Events, School Life

The Last Train, The First Step
Reading Time: 5 minutes

by Arshia Mahajan (25S06R) and Tara Teo (26A01D)

I’m someone who’s never lived the performance arts experience. I’ve never taken ballet, nor heard 90% of all technical dance terms. I don’t know what it feels like to have my entire life’s work end in a final bow. Chances are, neither do you. And yet, the entire PAC was moved to the verge of tears at the end of the showcase. Because at its most fundamental level, The Last Train is about something every human can resonate with: passion, want, and loss. 

Modern Dance’s 2025 showcase is a story of tension. Maia, a young dancer, wars between her passion for dance and the practicalities of the world’s expectations. She wrestles with her mother’s rigid expectations, juggling her studies, all while trying to chase her love for dance. Portrayed by Zhu Yixuan (25S02A), Maia’s journey is truly brought to life and we find ourselves rooting for her from the get go. Through 8 items, spanning 5 genres, The Last Train reminds us that our dreams are worth fighting for. 

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Arts, CCA Events, Features, Humans of RI, School Life, Student Features

A Wondrous Wander Through Wanderland: RPROJ 2025 Showcase
Reading Time: 15 minutes

By Chen Ying (25A01C) and Tara Sim (26A01C)

All photographs provided by Lucas Aw (25A01C) and Lim Xylyn (25S06T) unless otherwise stated.

Themed “Wanderland” this year, the Runway members hoped to display the concept of fantasy through their pieces, allowing their audience to break away from the mundane reality of daily life. 

“We were mainly drawn to the concept of fantasy and not being rooted in reality, because our lives are [already] quite rooted in reality and it’s quite boring. With this theme, you can go crazy, and even if you go crazy, there will be no questions asked.”

Ning Wanqing (25S03L), Secretary of Raffles Runway

The showcase itself was the culmination of months of preparation. Throughout the process, the members encountered various challenges, from having to self-teach sewing techniques from Youtube tutorials, to contending with a tight budget.

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Arts, CCA Events, Features, Humans of RI, Student Features

Caravan: Raffles Jazz Swings into the Spotlight
Reading Time: 4 minutes

By Christian Adriel Tan (26S07B) 

All photographs provided by RIAC

When we think of jazz, the image that often drifts to mind is gentle and subdued—the kind of mellow music that hums softly beneath dinner conversations in candlelit restaurants. Brushed cymbals, warm saxophone lines, piano notes that wander without urgency — the quiet, unobtrusive soundtrack of hotel lobbies and late-night lounges. But Caravan!—Raffles Jazz’s ARTSeason 2025 showcase—turned that image on its head. Here, jazz stepped into the spotlight not as ambience, but as art: music that twisted, teased, and transformed with every phrase.

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